Lillington Street, Pimlico

17 April 1941

By Madeline Cole

At 12.50am on 17 April 1941 a parachute mine landed on 39 Lillington Street, just off Vauxhall Bridge Road in Pimlico SW1. Number 39 and numbers 74-76 were completely destroyed. A huge pile of debris was left where the houses had stood, opening up new views of the nearby St James the Less Church (1861).

One corpse was recovered by 4.07am and placed in 16 Charlwood Street to await retrieval. Ambulances were sent when the reports first came in, but local wardens asked for further ambulances at 4.45am. The urgency of the situation made it necessary for them to repeat the request and ask for the ambulance to hurry at 5.15am. They also sent for a stretcher car ten minutes later and another stretcher car was urgently requested at 9am Several hours later, the wardens were still recovering bodies, this time from a basement.

An ARP report for 8.10pm that evening noted that another body found at 39 Lillington Street had been taken next door to number 38, which was not as badly damaged. A message taken down at 8.53pm confirmed that a mortuary van had attended the scene. In total, 41 people were found dead from this incident.

This night was not the only one on which Lillington Street received bomb damage. On the night of 19 April 1941 bombs fell between houses 41-59 at around 7.40pm. One body was found very soon after that and the attending warden recommended that it be removed as soon as possible, since it was in a very bad state.

Lillington Street no longer exists between Charlwood and Tachbrook Street, but is instead covered by the Lillington Gardens housing development (built 1964-1972).

My family lived in 51 Lillington Street and I assume were killed this night. Maude Wheeler - how can I obtain information on this Incident as my father is keen to learn what happened?

By Peter WheelerOn 02/05/2012

Hi Peter, i dont have any information for you but if you ever come accross any pictures of 51 lillington st, i would be extremely exited to see them as my family lived at 51 lillington st as well (in 1851 though) Cheers

By Geoff SmallwoodOn 19/10/2012

Did anyone find any photos of 51 Lillington Street as I would love to see them as well my Father lived there Alfred (Mick) Wheeler.

By Sue Brophy Nee (Wheeler)On 07/12/2012

Relatives of my husband were living at no 41 Lillington Street and were killed on 16th April 1941 through "war operations". This included a 1 year old baby girl.

By Christine CallowOn 09/12/2012

I was born at no 42 Lillington St on Nov 24th, 1943. My brother was born there on Feb. 13th, 1940.

By Barry TosdevineOn 18/01/2013

Re: 42 Lillington Street. My mother, brother and I lived at 42 Lillington Street as guests of two very dear ladies while my dad, who was in the army was away on military duty. The ladies names were Miss Kibble and Miss Hopgood. Miss Kibble continued to live there until at least 1959 when my brother visited her. Miss Hopgood had passed away a few years earlier. Does anyone have any recollection of these two wonderful ladies?

By Barry TosdevineOn 21/01/2013

I lived at 96 Lillington Street but after the bombing of 17th and 19th of April my mother and I moved to Scotland as I was only 7 months old then.I have been here ever since! I hope to visit Lillington Gardens in the Spring.

By Joseph RobsonOn 04/02/2013

Joseph Robson - I was born at 96 Lillington Street in 1948. The house next door (98) was bombed out and remained so until the street was demolished to make way for Lillington Gardens. Vaguely remember the name Kibble (No 42) bjwalsh@bjwalsh.com

By Barry WalshOn 25/04/2013

My mother whose name was Evenden, lived at 41 Lillington St. from 1930-1940 with her parents and sisters. Their name was Evenden and my mother's cousin married a Kibble.

By Jean HoboroughOn 16/07/2013

Can anyone help with information about Cambridge Buildings referred to in the Archive photograph above? Were they demolished after the bombing? Also. Model School, Westminster circa 1877. I cannot find any reference to it, but I believe it was in this area.

By Louise DonnellyOn 02/11/2013

I am researching about a gang my great grandfather allegedly had an involvement with. September 1939 They resided at 118 and 113 lillington street. Also they were in Lupus street or road. This gang were forging death certificates and my great grandfather claims a women was murdered and placed under the floorboards in killing ton street. Their names are Ada Quinn/Adams Dennis scully Mr and mrs Kelly Ted Ming Mr.and mrs Stevens Bill and joe red man Mr spree Mr heasman Harry Cornell Does anyone have any information on this.

By Lauren statonOn 20/11/2013

I am carrying out some research on Joseph Marriott who lived at 101 Lillington Street. He was in the Navy during World War I; his ship was sunk at the Battle of Jutland and he was a prisoner of war in Germany for two years. He died in December 1952 at the early age of 56. Very likely this was as a result of the Great Smog of 1952 which resulted in the deaths of about 12,000 people.

By Chris BilhamOn 20/11/2013

we lived at 7,cambridge buildings from 1948.1 block of 5 was later destroyed as a result of the bombing. The rest remained until the early 60s when the whole street was replaced by the new lillington estate.

By mal gittinsOn 23/11/2013

Many thanks for that helpful information about Cambridge Buildings.

By Louise DonnellyOn 25/11/2013

I just bought an interesting looking bible from a local garage sale. I noticed that inside there was an address: 41 Lillington street, Pimlico, London. So I would give it a try looking it up. Then I found this website. There are two names written within : on the first page Clara Stanward, and on the second ;L. standward (or it could be a b). There is also a year written down: 1874. Does anybody have some information about these people or the address?

By Sybren HoltOn 30/12/2013

My great uncle's parents, Edward John and Agatha Louisa Bishop were living in 41 Lillington Street when their only son, Harry, was wounded and then died in Flanders in December 1916. I do not know how long Edward and Agatha lived there. Anyone know?

By Piers PendredOn 05/03/2014

My dad was the manager of the butchers shop at No. 100 Lillington street my mum worked there also and I was born on the couch in the house upstairs from the shop. We left there in 1966 when we were moved to Churchill Gardens so they could knock down my beloved home my daddy's butchers shop and build the awful Lillington Gardens.

By Judith MurphyOn 05/11/2014

My late father owned number 58 in 1958 if anyone knows anything.

By Robert snellOn 11/02/2015

My late fathers family (McGarry) lived at 35 Lillington Street, He once told me a about being bombed during the war. The ceilings came down .. He went into the garden to find a neighbours sonin his night clothes staggering about .. This lad was about 19 and not a scratch on him ... They then moved to Garden Terrace

By Steve McgarryOn 16/02/2015

I was born in Lillington Street in 1947, my parents owned the local shop at 85 Lillington st.next to the pub The Builders Arms,if anybody has any information I would like to hear from them

By Frank HolmesOn 26/02/2015

Thanks for the information.i wandered what happened to the old houses,my Great Grandad Thomas Walter Quinton was born at 53 Lillington St 1854.

By B J GreenOn 22/06/2015

My great grandfather lived at 34 Lillington Street in 1911. I live in Australia and love to visit the streets of my ancestors whenever I am in the UK. Sad to hear this street no longer exists.

By Lesley ConwayOn 02/07/2015

Those interested in Lillington Street may not that on this video, at 4min 50sec, there are plans being shown of the redevelopment:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EuP8ba96KYQ

By DAIOn 26/08/2015

I lived at number 6 Cambridge buildings from 1936 to 1959 until I got married. As children we used to play on the bomb site created by the bombing and turned the site into a cycle track.

By Ron LeachOn 10/11/2015

My Mum lived at 97 Lillington St. in 1939. Her name was Eileen Aspell

By Anne PriceOn 01/09/2016

My Grandfather lived at 31 Lillington Street in 1931. His name was Thomas Winchester. I wonder if anyone met him at that time or, more likely, knew of him. I believe he was tattooed and an army/navy man.

By Linda Wheway WhiteOn 11/03/2017

My Grandparents lived at 107 Lillington Street in 1922 and were married in Holy Trinity Church which stood at the corner of Bessborough Gardens. Great to find this history webpage.

By Linda QuinlanOn 02/08/2017

My Family lived in the butchers shop 100 Lillington Street My dad was Bill Murphy and my mum was Kath or Katie Murphy I remember the two daughters from the Builders Arms pub across the road Lynn & Cheryl. We also knew a family called the Holmes they moved with us to Churchill Gardens. we were in 48 Chaucer they were across the grass from us which I think was 46 Coleridge the mum was Norah the dad may have been Harry I think about 4 boys and a girl called Dallas.

By Judith Pipe (Murphy)On 24/08/2017

I have the birth certificate of my 2nd great grandmother, Emma Amelia Clark. She was born at 92 Lillington Street on 3rd Oct 1862. Her parents, Charles & Amelia (nee Marks) married in 1861. The part of the census for 1861 showing 92 Lillington Street is incomplete/missing on ancestry.co.uk - I'd be keen to see if anyone has any info for this address.